Impressed

Just attended an appointment at a private clinic as an NHS patient.

Adequate car parking space

No car park charge

Efficient and friendly reception

Very comfortable waiting area

Complementary hot drinks: I did not avail myself, but they appeared to be first class quality

No waiting. I was early, and a patient had cancelled: I was done and out BEFORE my appointment time.

No going home to await an appointment, surgeon has booked me in in three weeks time.

Do not know how much the NHS is paying them for this, and of course not yet able to judge the clinical outcome,but experience so far suggests high quality.

Well yoo are going to be having whupsy after you, because he doesn't like that, because that is part of this semi privatisation thing the NHS are trying, by paying for patients to go private, in order to cut down the NHS waiting times and whupsy does not like it

The private sector are paid from the same National Tariff as for NHS hospitals.
The National Tariff carries a price for each procedure with A & E departments remunerated from a blended payment system which covers the wide variation in activity.
Each NHS hospital pays a dividend to the NHS each year that is effectively the same as a dividend for a shareholding in a private or listed company. For a non NHS hospital the NHS dividend,embodied in the National Tariff, is their profit margin from the NHS work they undertake.
The nearer we get to a general election then the number of procedures sub contracted to private hospitals will grow exponentially. The 4.5 million strong waiting list will be down to nearer 2 million.

gaffer

Thank you for explaining how it works

When I had an endoscopy (tube down the throat into the stomach), the NHS had a contract with one of our local private clinics. It really is the only way to get these things done soonest, as early detection of abnormalities is essential for a good outcome. It also supports the clinics as well so a win/win situation as far as I'm concerned. There was a small lab attached to the treatment room so the Consultant surgeon gave me the results straight away.

Well, I attended for the minor op 8-40am on Tuesday.

I was back home for 10 am, and that includes a ten mile drive back and a stop-off to shop at Sainsbury's.

Limping for a couple of days, but already back to walking OK!

Stitches to come out next Thursday at my GP's. I bet they take longer to remove the stitches than the entire op had taken!

As long as it is free to you does it matter if the local butcher does it painlessly. Hope your recovery goes well.